ATHENS/BERLIN, Dec 14 Greece's leftist government on Monday signed its first big privatisation deal with German airport operator Fraport, awarding it a 1.2 billion euro contract to lease and manage 14 regional airports.

Fraport and its Greek partner, energy firm Copelouzos, will lease and manage 14 provincial airports in popular tourist islands... for 40 years. It will also invest 330 million euros by 2020, to upgrade facilities.

However, for the contracts to be activated there are certain conditions that remain to be fulfilled. These concern the approval of the contracts by the European Commission and their ratification by the Greek Parliament, the issue of a presidential decree confirming the airports’ zoning plans, the delivery of the airports by the Civil Aviation Authority to the preferred bidder, and of a number of letters of guarantee to the state, and the payment of the lump sum payment of 1.23 billion euros. The deal is expected to be finalized by October or November 2016, after the end of the peak tourism season for Greece.

Infrastructure Minister Christos Spirtzis reiterated his disapproval of the deal despite putting his signature on it: ”I continue to disagree with the way the concession of the 14 airports was conducted. However, this is among the commitments the country has made,” he said, adding that he had signed the contract with “much pain.”

Fraport introduces 13 euro charge for tickets at regional airportsThe charge can be maintained for 4 years, while the company must carry out 330 million euros of investments

German company Fraport, which recently acquired the management of 14 regional airports for 40 years, will introduce a 13-euro charge for all tickets at these airports.

According to the agreement, the charge can be maintained for about 4 years, during which point the German company must carry out investments worth 330 million euros at the 14 airports. After the investments have been completed, the German company can increase this ticket charge up to 18 euros.

Airport charges per passenger will be reduced at the 14 airports that the Fraport-Sentel consortium is set to undertake this year, as well as all other airports operated by the state, according to state privatization fund TAIPED.

In response to reports of possible charge hikes, the fund said that the average charge at state-operated Greek airports today amounts to 12.70 euros per departing passenger. The maximum airport charge per passenger provided by the concession contract with the consortium amounts to 13 euros per passenger, including the charge for the modernization and development of airports (TEAA). It could rise to 18.50 euros once the airport investments are completed.

At present, passengers on flights heading outside the European Union pay a charge of 22 euros, and those within the EU pay 12 euros each. TAIPED announced this will be immediately reduced to a flat rate of 12 euros for every flight, applying to departures from all Greek airports up until October 2024, before dropping to 3 euros from November 1, 2024.

Meanwhile, the Infrastructure Ministry is yet to transform the Civil Aviation Authority into an independent body, which is a necessary condition for the transfer of the 14 airports to the Fraport-led consortium, which must be completed by the end of the year.

Fraport Greece will implement investments of 400 million euros at the 14 regional airports it has leased in the next four years, the company’s executive director of commercial and business development, George Vilos, told a Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) conference earlier this week.

Vilos estimated that Fraport will have started procedures for the undertaking of the airports’ management by the end of January. The company has already identified most of the needs of each terminal, either for the upgrading of infrastructure or for their expansion (or both).

Vilos also announced the creation of modern shopping centers within the terminals, rivaling those at airports abroad as well as Athens International Airport.

Fraport Greece plans to invest more than 400 million euros by 2021 for the upgrading and expansion of the facilities in the 14 airports that are expected to come under its management by the end of January.

This was announced by George Vilos... According to him... the passenger fee at the regional airports will be 13 euros, which is the price set by the concession agreements ratified in Greek parliament.

Nowadays the average airport fee at regional airports, which includes a charge for using the airport and a “modernization and development tax” (spatosimo), is some 12,7 euros per departing passenger.

Fraport's executive director clarified that the 13-euro fee will include all charges (including the spatosimo) and remain fixed for a period of four years in which time Fraport will be required to implement investments totalling 330 million euros at the airports it manages.

Once investments are completed, the charge can increase up to 18,5 euros, he added.

Fraport Greece, the local subsidiary of the German transport firm that is due to take over the management of 14 regional airports from the start of next year, is in advanced talks with foreign airline companies and tour operators in a bid to ensure that there will be an increase in passenger traffic from next year.

Fraport Greece’s biggest challenge is not just to increase passenger numbers but also to extend the tourism season. The latter will not be down just to the company’s actions or investment efforts.

Greece's regional airports are turning to SITA's common-use terminal equipment (CUTE) technology to help them increase their passenger processing efficiency.

According to SITA, the implementation will allow airlines to work seamlessly at the Fraport Greece airports by sharing check-in desks, kiosks and boarding areas while accessing their own airline-specific systems.

Alexander Zinell, CEO of Fraport Greece, says: "Our aim is to reposition the 14 airports as modern, competitive gateways that support the growth of the regions and the country’s tourism industry overall. Technology will play a central role in achieving our vision for an improved passenger experience."

Fraport Greece is currently working on development plans for the 14 airports that take into consideration the specific needs of each location.

The Ministry of Transport has issued a statement underlining that the concession agreement for 14 regional airports is not at risk, due to the works carried out at the Macedonia airport of Thessaloniki.

The transfer of management of 14 Greek airports to German transport company Fraport has been delayed with a potential due date set for mid-March, according to the latest media reports.

According to capital.gr news site, both parties — Fraport and the Greek government — have agreed to defer the takeover date due to incomplete implementation of technical requirements which are set to ensure a smooth procedure.

According to the 1.2 billion euro concession deal, the 14 regional airports were expected to come under Fraport’s management by the end of this month.

The German operator, which already employs 400 people in Greece, has said it plans to invest over 400 million euros by 2021 for the upgrade and expansion of the facilities at the 14 airports. First on the company’s agenda is the Macedonia Airport in Thessaloniki, which it aims to transform into the company’s flagship.

Fraport Greece has reached an agreement with four international credit institutions and a local bank for the financing of the privatization project by the German-led consortium concerning 14 regional airports around Greece, according to banking sources.

The funding will go toward both the one-off down payment (the “acquisition facility”) and an amount set aside for investments in infrastructure (the “capital expenditure facility”), according to banking sources from abroad. At the same time, significant issues that are the responsibility of the state remain unresolved – such as the staffing of the airports’ medical offices with doctors and nurses – that might cause problems to the March 15 transfer deadline.

Fraport Greece signed a contract with the Greek state for fire safety services in all 14 regional airports to be managed by Fraport under a 40-year concession agreement.

Under the terms of the contract, Fraport Greece will be responsible for offering fire safety services in airports, directly or through a professional service. A total of 540 fire fighters from the Hellenic Fire Service and the Air Force will be stationed at the 14 airports, according to international and national standards and the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

A total of 540 fire fighters from the Hellenic Fire Service and the Air Force will be stationed at the 14 airports, according to international and national standards and the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

That's an average of over 38 fire fighters at each airport. A tad excessive perhaps?Perhaps in the event of an incident, a fire tender will arrive with firefighters hanging off every corner, a la Keystone Cops

38 average, allowing for annual leave, days off and maybe a 3 shift system leaves around 9 on duty per time per airport on average?

3 shifts? at Kef airport?

Like most of the island airports, the flights are scheduled over a couple of busy periods a day, probably 4 - 6 hrs in total - and that's only during holiday season. The rest of the year that would be 1 - 2 hrs

You started the average bit.........plus in the summer if you have Athens in at 07.00 and Ryannair or similar leaving at 22.00............in their downtime they can always chop some car batteries.......